Explaining RA to children

[olive2709]

Is their any book out there to help a child understand RA. Reason I am asking is my grandson when we picked him up from school yesterday told us that one of his best friends. Mum died on Sunday night did some checking and found out she passed over in her sleep she had been unwell for a few days . Problem is last night asked his dad if mum was going to die as she was not well any ideas he's only 8

[EmmaS-NRAS NRAS]

Dear olive2709,

I'm sure others on here will have had experience of speaking to their children/grandchildren about their RA but at NRAS we often signpost people to Medikidz, they're comics written by doctors for children and there is one for rheumatoid arthritis - medikidz.com/gb-en/shop/med...

Best wishes

EmmaS-NRAS

[olive2709 in reply to EmmaS-NRAS]

Thanks Emma just ordered Olive

[Adrian587]

I wouldn't bother if I was you why worry him?

[olive2709 in reply to Adrian587]

He is all ready worried ThInking his mum will die just like his friend's mum up till yesterday took it in his stride

[Adrian587 in reply to olive2709]

Okay so I guess his friends mum died and she had RA, i guess a book will do no harm then, might be best to talk to him.

[nomoreheels]

Oh poor mite, we forget or just don't think what must be going on in their heads sometimes. I was going to suggest the book Emma has told you about. I do hope it helps. x

[olive2709]

That's the trouble he understands but his little brain is all over the place . He had some time with his dad went to get new shoes starting to put things in some kind of order but still does not want his mum to go to sleep in case she does not wake up.

[Hidden]

Hi olive

Arthritis care have 2 books that I bought when my lad was little. He used to come with me to all my appointments before he started school and it helped him understand X Ray's physio blood tests consultations. One we had it called I am Sam I think. If you ring arthritis care I'm sure they will advice.

Kiki

[cathie]

Whatever the cause of his friend's mothers death, it is still unsettling as its more real. I think there's a separate set of issues about RA too. My grandson (nearly 11) is sometimes lovely and supportive. He loves the various aids I have had to use while I wait for knee replacement, the rollator is great fun he thinks. His friend's mother's boyfriend sometimes uses a wheelchair and they fight to wheel him. But over the years I've found myseslf able to do less and less with him, and feel excluded.

I dont have a ready answer to this, except that it is a problem. I have a certain level of empathy with him over technological things to do with computers, I try to keep an area where I relate to him. But I've no easy answers I'm afraid.

C

[olive2709]

Thanks to everyone his friend is back in school today and from what I have been told the wwe pretend the game they play in the playground went well